National Republican., 1887-04-27

lame are nnKeu 10 not one great measure,
one lofty deed or thought; man who In
the practical realm Of politics was mere
dreamer and vaporer.
We forget. lie was the most devoted
and servlle worshlpper OF slavery the south
has ever furnished. In fact IL Is morally
certain that he evolved his theory OF our
goverument-the sovereignty of the states
out Of what he took to be the supreme
necessities OF the situation. He saw his
favorite nstituton-without which, he
said, stable republic was impossible
threatened on all sides by the advancing
civilization and widening Christianity of
the time, aud against these menaces aud
encroachments he saw no security save In
the political dogma he put forth, whereby
an organized society, he insisted, could
claim protection from without whenever 1t
wanted it--just the measure It wanted-no
more, no less, yet could be completely In
dependent and Isolated; having no obliga-
tions absolutely free from external pres
sure, people at once beyond the reach OF
what II esteemed unfriendly legislation aud
able also to defy the public sentiment OF
the world. This utopan state was Cal
houn's creation. IL is familiar history that
he attempted to put this fine spun theory
into practice, and as result we know what
sort of a monument he narrowly escaped
from at the hands Of jackson.
Andrew Jackson-Old Hickory, the hero
of New Orleans--how the pulse quickens
as we think Of him Aud blistered be the
tongue which shall associate and pronounce
in one breath the name Of the hero, tue
patriot, the statesman, and the sage
whose consecrated words "the Union, II
must and shall be preserved" are to us
heritage forever-and that other South
Carolinlan who gave the best efforts Of his
intellect TO pointing out to his fellow
countrymen how the nation, whose fouu Ia
tions were laid broad aud deep by Wash.
iugton, could be most easily shattered or
disintcgrated.
But Calhoun did not lack the lower arts
OF the mere politician. His treatment OF
jackson shows a mixture OF low cunning
and unscrupulousness. jackson was his
intimate and friend. Belonging to the
same party, they had, 1t may be assumed,
only common aversions and antagonisms.
But Jackson's military successes in the
Seminole war were bringing him into popu-
lar favor, and Calhoun saw In him possible
political rival.
Like the Turk, she could bear no brother
near the throne" and set about, therefore,
in his own way, to remove him. Calhoun's
instinct was, perhaps, accurate. Certain
1t is he instantly dedicated himself to the
io1 ~ wi dc
And how did this high.toned statesman
from South Carolina proceedH Calhoun
was then Secretary of War. Sheltered, as
he supposed himself to be, by the vail which
is thrown over the proceedings of the Cabi.
net, he formally proposed to the President
| that jackson be placed under arrest and be
| tried by court martial for certain military
| acts in Florida which he insisted were fla
grant violations of law. VIII 1t be be-
| lieved that almost at the same moment he
| wrote to jackson an explicit, though
trickily worded, official approval of the
very acts which were the basis Of his
charges against Jackson?
Calhoun's proposition met with no favor
from President Monroe. With the duplicity
which sat easily upon him, fresh from
that Cabinet conference in which he had
sought to compass the ruin of the friend
| who had trusted him, 'he was all smiles
and effusiveness and overflowing in his ex-
pressions Of his admiration and aflectionate
regard for Jackson"
jackson, frank, straightforward. and un'
suspecting, was slow to discover Calhoun's
double dealing; but he did at last, and he
put upon paper that blasting record OF Cal
houn's conduct, which will remain forever
an indestructible part of our annals. This
recital would be incomplete II we failed to
add that Calhoun, by artful publications.
sought to impress Jackson with the idea
that another member of the Cabinet, Craw
ford, was the instigator OF the unfriendly
proposal to the President. Crawford, who
was true friend and admirer Of jackson
Indignantly denied the imputatton, ant
gave the real version OF the Cabinet pro
ceedings.
Calhoun, with an effrontcry and shame
lessness almost unriyaled, denounced Craw
ford as person lacking in honor because
he had betrayed-so Calhoun said-tht
confidential deliberations OF the Cabinet.
His treatment of Van Buren similarly ex
hibited his incapncity to deal with any on
whom he fancied to be rival in an honor
able way. Van Buren was nominated a
minister to England. Envious Of Val
Buren's growing popularity, Calhoun, a
presiding officer OF the Senate, cast the vot
by which Van Buren was rejected. Thi
rejection Calhoun thought would be fata
to Van Buren's political future, for ther,
were accompanying intimations-the pro
duct Of the lowest partisan malicc-tha
Van Buren, was not fit person for hlgl
position. But the poisoned chalice wa
returned to the lips of him who had pre-
pared 1t. Instead of going abroad Van Burel
remained at home only to succeed to Cal
houn's place as Vice President, whence h
easily vaulted into the Presidency. And s.
the place for which he had worked ant
intrigued for so many years was lost to hin
forever. In this world even the smalle
equities do not seem to wait upon us. Blu
for Calhoun there was Nemesis ever a
hand. Justice was swiftly, inexorably, anc
surely vindicated.
Is this the life to be studied save to
avoided and to be detested, as beacon t
warn and not to guide, the plotter anC
consplrator against popular governmen
and the betrayer Of sacred friendship
lie stands unique and anomalous, and
therefore, deserves monument. Let hin
have 1t.
IT il All i'm the Iaw